yeah right, piggy is
F___ the gas companies
L K Day wrote: Really want to cut our carbon emissions? $6.00 gas would help. You could do that with taxes and use the windfall to fund researching technologies that might lead toward clean energy independence.
The problem with that thinking is that it would most likely collapse the economy before any real changes occurred.
$6.00 or $30.00 a gallon has has very little effect on the top dollar makers in the country. They won't change their habits because of the price of gas -- the Porche or Ferrari or high end Benz will be filled with super premium regardless of price.
$6.00 a gallon gas will severely impact the middle class. It's past the threshold where we can afford to drive to work in order to make money. The middle class will sink to become the new, larger, lower class.
$6.00 a gallon gas will destroy the lower class. When 1/2 of your earnings are going to filling the tank, it becomes more economical to quit your job (or get fired) and live off of welfare. These people will lose their cars, homes, and health. I personally know people struggling to pay for medicine -- their one car for their family is about to be repossessed, they are way behind on the house, and have had their power and phone shut off several times. Poverty will be at an all time high. Already home foreclosures are at an all time high.
Welcome to the new future: you now have the very rich and the very poor. Forget about your climbing trips, you're now struggling to pay for basic essentials. The people that put those taxes on the gas? They don't care one bit. They're making more money than ever. Why would they want to change their habits? So, in a nutshell, you have reduced our carbon footprint, but only by ruining the economy.
Sarcasm is a tool the weak use to avoid confrontation. People with any balls just outright lie.
[quote="Meadows"]I try not to put it in my mouth now, but when I do, I hold it with just my lips.[/quote]
[quote="Meadows"]I try not to put it in my mouth now, but when I do, I hold it with just my lips.[/quote]
Dhoyne - Don't think I'm an advocate of $6.00 gas. I just wanted to point out that we as a society will burn lots of it when it's cheap, and less when it's costly. Kind of obvious I guess. I agree that a sudden very large increase in the price of fuel would be difficult for the poor, the middle class and our economy. Gradually increasing prices would be much less disruptive, and IF you think we should burn less fuel, that's the only way we can accomplish that goal.
Also, I'd hope to point out how hypocritical outdoor recreationalists can be when it comes to the environment and global warming. The average person doesn't drive nearly as many miles per year as climbers and white water boaters do. In my hardcore climbing days I drove about 25,000 miles a year and flew round trip to Mexico (relatively short) Alaska (a damned long trip) and Argentina (mega miles, and mega gallons of jet fuel) every year. I rather thought of myself as something of an enviro, but like most climbers, I burned a lot of hydrocarbons.
Also, I'd hope to point out how hypocritical outdoor recreationalists can be when it comes to the environment and global warming. The average person doesn't drive nearly as many miles per year as climbers and white water boaters do. In my hardcore climbing days I drove about 25,000 miles a year and flew round trip to Mexico (relatively short) Alaska (a damned long trip) and Argentina (mega miles, and mega gallons of jet fuel) every year. I rather thought of myself as something of an enviro, but like most climbers, I burned a lot of hydrocarbons.
How much does (or did before he became veep) Cheney take for a speech of any kind? I'll bet when he's no longer VP he'll be demanding more than $50G for that kind of event... except Cheney will never speak against poverty, only create more.pigsteak wrote:...and also take $50,000 from a university for giving a speech on....cough, cough..the "two Americas" and poverty
Any libbies on here calling him on the carpet for his greed? didn't think so...it is only that bastard cheney...
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
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Commentary by Matthew Richards
Of this country's major trading partners the US is the only one that has failed to balance its books. Government debt is literally at run away levels and there is no end in sight for the potential to correct it nor does there appear to be a willingness to do anything about it.
In the past 3 years the US dollar vs the Canadian dollar (the largest trading partner by far) has devalued by almost 30%. The Canadian dollar is now very close to parity and predicated to surpass the value is the USD by the end of the year.
The ill conceived war (we'll call it the Bush war) has driven oil prices to new and sustained highs that have done nothing but damage the US as we are a net importer of oil. It has significantly enriched many of our trading partners though, Canada, Russia, Mexico and so on.
I see a significant and continued slide in the value of the USD and therefore the need for the Fed to shore up interest rates to support its value. I believe that for the first time in modern history the word "devaluation" will be used in conjunction with the USD.
The country is heading for an economic crisis of proportions rivaling that of the 1930's. What is different this time is that the rest of the world (aside from China) is in pretty good economic shape.
What do I think is going to happen? The USD will slide below the CAD and by this time next year the CAD will have a 10% advantage. The Euro will continue its climb as well. As the US continues to borrow unprecedented amounts of cash from the rest of the world and its currency continues to slide the world will demand higher rates of return. The Fed will no longer have a choice. China, with its trillion plus reserves of USD will see its value eroding and begin to dump them on the market to buy more stable currencies. The flood of USD on the open market will continue to accelerate the problem.
Double digit interest rates and in the US within 18 months and a significant contraction of the money supply. Significant increases in taxes and the US heading to economic basket case status.
"Be responsible for your actions and sensitive to the concerns of other visitors and land managers. ... Your reward is the opportunity to climb in one of the most beautiful areas in this part of the country." John H. Bronaugh
The Neo-Cons must be getting ready for another "Mission Accomplished" photo-op on Wall Street. There they will reveal that their plan all along has been to decrease the population of the United States as the bodies of stock brokers splat on the sidewalk behind them and the poor really start to die off en mass. Who needs free health-care or a balanced budget when they're dead?
[size=75]You are as bad as Alan, and even he hits the mark sometimes. -charlie
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]
"Not all conservatives are stupid, but most stupid people are conservative." - John Stuart Mill[/size]